Aerator

ABSTRACT

An inflatable structure, includes a base and a barrier attached to the base which is capable of being inflated to a predetermined shape in order to define a chamber. A door in the barrier allows access to the chamber. The base includes a source of gas for inflating the barrier and for circulating within the chamber. The barrier is constructed as a twin-walled structure having inner and outer walls defining an air flow space therebetween. Holes are provided through at least portions of the inner wall to provide a means for circulation of air from the space into the chamber. When not in use, the aerator may be deflated and folded for compact storage and shipment.

The Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No.DAMD 17-79-C-9034 awarded by the United Sates Army.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to aerators and more specifically toaerators which can be collapsed for easy storage and shipment andinflated for use.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Items which have been sterilized by a gas such as ethylene oxide must bethoroughly aerated before use. Generally, the time required to aeratethe sterilized articles is eight times the amount of time required tosterilize the articles. Therefore, so that the sterilizer capabilitiesmay be utilized efficiently the volumetric capacity of the aerationequipment is normally many times that of the capacity of the associatedgas sterilizer. In field use such as military hospitals the size andweight of the aeration equipment poses both transportation and storageproblems. Accordingly, it is desired to have a portable, inflatableaerator which can be deflated for compact storage and shipment andinflated for use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an inflatable structure which can bedeflated from compact storage and shipment and inflated for use. Thestructure includes a base, a barrier attached to the base which iscapable of being inflated to a predetermined shape in order to define achamber, apparatus for permitting the chamber to be loaded and unloaded,apparatus for inflating and deflating the barrier and apparatus forcirculating a gas within the chamber.

In one embodiment of the present invention the aerator includes a baseand a double layered inflatable wall attached to the base. The baseincludes conventional apparatus to clean, heat and circulate the air anda power source.

Air supplied from the base into the space between the two layers of thewall thus causing the wall to inflate to form a chamber. Preferably, thewall is divided into a plurality of sections separated by seams. Thesections are alternately either adapted to support the wall or providecirculating air to the chamber. The support sections are inflated withpressurized air. The inner layer in the circulating portions containopenings through which air can flow from the space between the twolayers of the wall into the formed chamber to aerate the goods therein.The holes in the inner layer are sized and spaced so that the flow ofair into the space between the two layers is greater than that from thespace between the two layers into the chamber so as to create a backpressure within the space between the two layers thus keeping the wallinflated. Air also enters the chamber from openings in the base of thechamber. The spent air exits the chamber through an exhaust opening inthe chamber and is vented to an area remote from the location of theaerator.

Alternatively, the inner layer in all portions of the wall can containproperly sized and spaced holes through which air can enter the chamber.In that case, only one source of circulating air is necessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the aerator according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the aerator through line II--IIof FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the aerator through lineIII--III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified version of theaerator.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the modified aerator throughline V--V of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, aerator 10 includes cabinet module 12 andtwin layered inflatable wall 14. When wall 14 is in its inflatedcondition, chamber 16 is formed. The top portion of cabinet module 12forms the base of chamber 10.

Cabinet module 12 is preferably metal and contains a means of supplyingpressurized air through openings 20 to inflate wall 14. In addition,cabinet module 12 includes a conventional heater, filter and blower 52which cause clean, temperature controlled, heated air to be circulatedthrough openings 22 to inflate wall 14 and aerate the goods loadedwithin chamber 16, and openings 24 through which the circulated air canenter chamber 16 directly from cabinet module 12 to aerate the goodsloaded within chamber 16.

The two sides and top wall 14 include outer layer 30 and inner layer 32made of a flexible, impervious plastic material. The two layers are heldtogether by a plurality of seams 34 to prevent the layers fromballooning apart when wall 14 is inflated. Preferably, wall 14 isdivided into five portions. Portions 36 receive pressurized air throughopenings 20 in cabinet module 12 and when inflated serve to support wall14. Portions 38 receive clean, temperature controlled, heated airthrough openings 22 in cabinet module 12 and when inflated serve tosupport wall 14 and provide air to chamber 16. Preferably, the backpanel 18 of wall 14 is a single layer of a flexible, impervious plasticmaterial. When wall 14 is inflated, space 40 is formed between outerlayer 30 and inner layer 32. Inner layers 32 of portions 38 contain aplurality of means for communicating air flow, such as openings 42 sothat the circulating air can flow from space 40 through openings 42 intochamber 16. Wall 14 includes an opening through which chamber 16 can beloaded. Door 44, preferably formed of an insulated plastic material, isa flap attached to wall 14 above the opening in wall 14. When aerator 10is in use door 44 extends down to cover and seal the opening in wall 14.Door 44 can be secured to wall 14 by hooks and fastener strips. Door 44can be flipped over the top of aerator 10 to allow access to chamber 16.

Collapsible shelf support 46 can be placed within chamber 16 so that thegoods to be aerated can be placed thereon. Duct hose 48 extends from anexhaust opening in panel 18 of wall 14.

In use, the blower, heater and filter contained within cabinet module 12are operated by any conventional power source to provide pressurized airto wall portions 36 and to cause clean, heated, temperature controlledair to circulate through wall portions 38 and chamber 16. Pressurizedair enters space 40 of wall portions 36 through openings 20 of cabinetmodule 12 thus causing wall portions 36 to inflate. The circulating airenters space 40 of wall portions 38 through openings 22 of cabinetmodule 12 thus causing wall portions 38 to inflate. The air flows fromspace 40 through holes 42 in inner layer 32 of wall portions 38 intochamber 16. The volume of air flowing from space 40 through openings 42into chamber 16 is less than that flowing from cabinet module 12 intospace 40 through openings 20 to create back pressure in space 40 inorder to keep wall 14 inflated. The volume of air entering the lowerportion of chamber 16 must be greater than that entering the top portionfor the air to circulate properly, therefore, openings 42 are larger ormore numerous in the lower portion of wall portions 38 than the upperportion of wall portions 38. Circulating air also flows directly intochamber 16 from cabinet module 12 through openings 24. The spent airexits chamber 16 through an exhaust opening in panel 18 and duct hose 48and is vented to an area remote from the location of the aerator.

When aerator 10 is not in use, wall 14 can be deflated and folded forcompact storage and shipment.

In a modified embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,inflatable wall 14 is separated into a plurality of sections 38 each ofwhich receives clean, temperature controlled heated air through openings22 in base 12. Inner layers 32 of sections 38 contain a plurality ofopenings 42 so that the circulating air can flow from space 40 throughopenings 42 into chamber 16. The air flow through sections 38 serves toinflate sections 38 and to provide circulating air to chamber 16 asdescribed in the preferred embodiment. In addition, seams 34 arereplaced by a plurality webs 50. Webs 50 serve to prevent layers 30 and32 from ballooning apart as wall 14 is inflated.

What is claimed is:
 1. An inflatable aerator comprising:a base; aninflatable twin walled barrier attached to said base such that a chamberis defined within said barrier when said barrier is inflated to apredetermined shape, said barrier being formed of an inner layer and anouter layer such that a space is defined therebetween; means forpermitting loading and unloading of said chamber; means for causing airto flow from said base into said space between said inner layer and saidouter layer of said barrier at sufficient pressure to inflate saidbarrier and for causing air to flow from said base through said chamber;said inner layer of said barrier having a plurality of means forcommunicating air flow from said space through said chamber, saidcommunicating means being arranged such that the number and size of saidcommunicating means decreases as the portion of said inner layer havingsuch communicating means extends further away from said base, therebyproviding a gradually decreasing rate of air flow from said space intosaid chamber as the distance from said base to said communicating meansincreases, such that optimum air circulation for aeration of the goodsdisposed within said chmaber is achieved; and means for allowing air toexit said chamber.
 2. An aerator as recited in claim 1 wherein saidmeans for causing air to flow from said base into said chamber and intosaid space, respectively, is a blower contained within said base.
 3. Anaerator as recited in claim 1 wherein collapsible shelf supports aremounted within said chamber.
 4. An aerator as recited in claim 1 whereinsaid barrier has an opening through which said chamber can be loaded andunloaded, said opening being able to be sealed by a flap attached tosaid barrier adjacent said opening, said flap extending over saidopening and including means to secure said flap over said opening andseal said opening when the aerator is in use.
 5. An aerator as recitedin claim 1 wherein said space between said inner layer and said outerlayer of said barrier is divided into a plurality of first and secondseparate sections, said first sections being adapted to support saidbarrier in a predetermined shape when said barrier is inflated byretaining pressurized air therein, and said second sections beingadapted to circulate air into said chamber, and where the holes in saidinner layer are disposed in said second sections and are not disposed insaid first sections.
 6. An aerator as recited in claim 5 wherein thepressure of the air flow into said first sections is greater than thepressure of the air flow into said second sections.